


A bonfire guide to setting your dress on fire.

by sunflower123



Category: Portrait de la jeune fille en feu | Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Masquerade, Post-Canon, Reunions, barely any angst, pillow castle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:27:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23534539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflower123/pseuds/sunflower123
Summary: I am using this to collect the small stories that i have written about these two characters. Any stories longer than three chapters are posted separately.
Relationships: Héloïse/Marianne (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 76





	1. Masquarade

The garden was massive. Marianne imagined that one could easily get lost in here, or live and never be found. She had been invited by a friend to a masquerade. Marianne was quite excited for the event. She had been invited to many things before, dinners, plays, concerts, dances, but never a masquerade.

The event was held at a large estate owned by a count who’s wife she had once painted. Marianne had never met them here though, always in their house in Paris. It had been a long time ago, she doubted they would still recognise her. 

The exterior of the house was elegant and imposing with pilasters, a balcony, a small tower, decorations around the windows, marble steps leading to the door and statues on the roof. she took a moment to look at them when she had stepped out of the carriage. The statues seemed to be greek inspired, but she couldn't quite see which from the ground. 

There were others arriving all around her, some donning their masks when they stepped outside, some already wearing them. Many were wearing a wild arrange of colours and extravagant masks. She felt a little plain in comparison, though also realised she would be really uncomfortable with half a swan on her head. 

Marianne was wearing a blue mask that matched her dress. It had a little leaf pattern and covered three quarters of her face like ivy. It wasn’t half as extravagant as the things those other guests were wearing, but she loved it.

She met her friend and her husband at the door and together they walked inside.

The interior was just as extravagant and imposing as the exterior. There was a blue carpet, paintings on the walls, the walls were decorated with flowers and there were statues in the corners. They were lead into a hall to the right where the rest of the main event appeared to be. 

After a while the trio separated as Anna went to dance with her husband and Marianne was left on her own. There was a banquet to the east side with a wide array of small foods that she decided to busy herself with while observing the crowd.

There was a quartet of violins playing and about twenty couples waltzing to the music. There were so many colours swirling around each other it was almost like a dream. The dreamlike feeling was supported by the amount of masks resembling animals. Marianne found it strange but mostly funny. There was a swan dancing with a horse, a cat dancing with a mouse, there were birds in various colours, cats, wolves there was even someone with an elephant mask. And then there were the plainer ones, they were a lot less strange but nice still, they were small with just one colour or with little decorations on them. 

Those who weren’t dancing were, like Marianne, observing the room or talking. She found it funny to hear people pretend that they didn’t know each other. The tone of their voice clearly revealing that they did. She overheard a hilarious conversation between two cousins acting surprised at their similar last names, wondering if they might be related. And one between a brother and sister where someone introduced them to each other, the third party genuinely not knowing the two were siblings. Some of the people around her really didn’t seem to recognise each other though. There was a woman who Marianne recognised as a baroness daughter named Sophia, who she had met a few days ago at a dinner, talking to another woman that Marianne had recognised from the same event. They were talking to each other as if they had really just met. Then again when Marianne had met the girl before she hadn't struck her as especially bright. 

There were a couple of other people she recognised, but she didn’t want to use this time to stay around the people she knew. She wanted to meet someone new.

There was a woman on the other side of the banquette table, she had one arm crossed over her chest and the other was at her lips, pondering over the items before her. The woman had something familiar about her, but she couldn’t quite placed it. She was blond, taller than most and was wearing a mask with a red flower pattern matching the dress she was wearing. 

Marianne moved closer in an attempt at finding out why this woman seemed so familiar. She decided to strike up a conversation. 

“Try the chocolate, one can never go wrong with that.” She suggested when she was close enough for the woman to hear. The woman seemed to startle at her voice and turned around. Once they made eye contact Marianne couldn’t help but be taken aback as well. She knew those eyes, she was sure because she dreamed of them still. 

“Marianne”

“Heloise”


	2. masquerade 2

“What are you doing here?”

“I was invited by a friend, what are you doing in France?”

“I moved here, two years ago. I was invited here by the countess, in an attempt to cheer me up, not that I need it.” she said with a small conspiring smile.

“What happened?” She had an inkling, but daren’t say it, as she might somehow be wrong.

“He died, the man I married in Milan. He died a few months ago of a heart attack.”

Marianne had to stop herself from being visibly relieved. She couldn't help but notice that Heloise wasn’t very bothered either.

“Oh, I’m sorry..” that didn’t sound very convincing but Heloise just smiled.

“Don’t be. Walk with me. I prefer talking about this without someone possibly listening in.”

Marianne and Heloise walked out of the room and outside into the gardens. Heloise was walking slightly in front of Marianne as they crossed the grass and entered a little maze. She had imagined many scenarios in the last few years in which they might reunite . She hadn’t wanted to, but often couldn't help herself. But this scenario had never come up, and she didn’t really know what to do.

“So,” Marianne started. “Congratulations then.”

Heloise looked back and grinned. “Thank you, it has been quite nice.”

Marianne took a little sprint and caught up with Heloise who was very quickly walking through the maze.

“Have you been here before?”

“Yes, a few times, a while ago.”

They ended up in what must have been the middle of the maze. There was a fountain with benches to the side and rose bushes in between them. The two took a seat on one of the benches and sat in silence for a moment listening to the distant music coming from the house.

“How have you been?”

“Recently or since we last saw each other?”

“Recently, I expect we could sit here a long while if we try to talk about everything.”

“We would.”

She sighed and leaned back against the backrest.

“Please don’t mistake my cheerfulness for lack of sorrow, I was sad about his passing..but not for me. I was sad for Isabella to lose her father. She’s only seven, way to young to lose a parent. She was very upset about it, inconsolable for the first few days and I felt terrible about not reacting the same way. This was a man I had known for seven years, who I had shared a house with, had a child with, a marriage. But there had never been an emotional connection. So after his passing I felt nothing more than a change in routine. He wasn’t very attentive while he was alive, there wasn’t much to miss. But I knew what the appropriate reaction would be of a grieving widow.” She grinned “Locking yourself in the house and wearing darker clothes that also cover your face is thankfully one of those appropriate reactions. I realised that a veil could not only hide tears, but also the lack of them “ She smiled sadly and went back to seriousness. “ It also gave me time and space to take care of Izzy. She still misses him, but it’s much better now” She took a deep breath. “But because we had been such recluses in our house the countess invited me here to get my mind of things. It was a kind gesture. What about you, how have you been recently?”

Now it was Marianne’s turn to take a deep breath. There was nothing particularly monumental that had happened in the last few months. Certainly nothing as loaded. But she felt Heloise's expectant eyes burn into her skin waiting for her to tell a story.

Suddenly Marianne remembered something, it wasn’t very life changing, but it was a good story to tell. Most importantly it was positive. She couldn’t help smile thinking of it, it filled her with energy and the need to move.

“Shall we walk a little while I talk, I have seen quite enough of this fountain.” She suggested gesturing in front of her.

“I thought you liked looking at things for a long time?

“I like looking at pretty things for a long while, you are far better than that and I can look at you while we walk.”

The reaction Marianne got pleased her a lot. Heloise's eyes grew wide and then she smiled.

“You have grown a lot bolder since we last met.”

Marianne grinned back.

“And you are enjoying it. Come let's go.”

Marianne stood up from the small bench and pulled Heloise up with her by her hand, goosebumps immediately erupting at the touch.

The moon wasn’t bright enough to walk further away from the house. So they stayed in the dimly lit area around. The music was a lot clearer here than inside the maze. Once they were out of the way of the few people also strolling outside Marianne started her story.

“There is a little tradition that a couple of friends and I have where every twelfth of April we gather in one place and have a sort of gathering. One of the people will surprise the rest by bringing something unexpected or strange into the room. We started doing it as children and we still do it now. Last year a friend of mine, Rosa brought in two hundred frogs, it was like the plagues had descended on us. She had apparently gathered them since the beginning of the year while being amongst the rest of us. None of us had any idea and I still don’t know where she had stored them all that time!”

“You didn’t ask?”

“She won’t tell me!”

“So what happened this year?”

“This year it was David’s turn and he decided to continue the biblical theme and guess what he did?”

“Snakes?”

“No.

“Bugs?”

“No, floods. He brought in about twenty barrels of water, probably directly from the Seine, and flooded the room. It came to our knees. It was impressive but disgusting.”

“What did you do? When it was your turn?”

Marianne chuckled at the memory. “I once lightly coated the floor with red paint, so at the end of the day the soles of everyone's shoes were red, and the unlucky person who tripped and fell had a red face. And one other time i placed a parrot in the room who I had taught several phrases about my friends that it would just say randomly throughout the day.”

“What happened on the twelfth of April”

Marianne frowned before realising she was asking how the tradition had started exactly.

“It started when we were ten, eleven years old when my friend Eric had brought a monkey to our secret hut that his father had brought back from the colonies. Then a year later, but not the same day, Vera brought in a painting of some sort, I don't remember who made it of what was on it. But throughout the years it kind of developed in what it is now.”

“Is Eric’s father in the navy?”

The question surprised Marianne and scrunched up her face, not really wanting to answer knowing how it might be received.

“No, not really. Once he might have been, but he has been independent for as long as i have known him.

“He is a pirate.” Heloise stated.

Marianne only nodded, unwilling to say the word for all the other things it implied. She knew him to be a good man, she knew her friend to be a good man. She could not imagine them being murdering, pillaging brutes. She didn’t want to group them in with the ones who were. Looking over at Heloise she saw her frowning and felt like she needed to rectify this. She didn’t want her to think ill of her friend, and then maybe her by proxy.

“He is, but as far as I know he is not one of the bad ones. It may sound naive, and I don’t know much about what they do on the seas but I have known them both my entire life. If there was anything morally corrupt about either of them one of us would have noticed and we would have stopped associating with them. The only thing I ever hear of Eric’s life on the sea is that he is a good and generous captain. Compassionate and caring, strict when needed but always kind. I have never heard anything other than gratitude and praise from other people.”

“But they know you’re friends with him.”

“I have never really had anyone directly talk about him to me if it weren’t one of my other friends. I only ever overheard people talk about him. They never say anything negative”

“Alright, I am going to believe you. He doesn’t sound bad. I would want to see for myself though.” She replied a small smile reappearing on her face.

“You want to meet him?”

“I would like to meet all your friends.” Heloise grinned.

Marianne smiled at the thought of how that would happen. There would be relentless teasing off course when they finally met the woman she had been so heartbroken over for so long, but it would all be worth it.

“Maybe you can join a twelfth of April one day.”

“Maybe I could.”

“Maybe you can even be the one surprising.”

“I would like that.”

Both were grinning as they rounded the third corner and reached the now deserted front of the house. The music still came clearly through the door and resonated with the excited feeling both women had.

“I want to dance.”

“Do you want to go back inside?”

“No, I want to dance here, with you.” Heloise replied smiling, leaving no room for discussion in her tone. Marianne had no reason or desire to decline. No one would be able to see them here or interrupt them.

Thus Marianne moved closer and rested her hand on the space between Heloise’s neck and shoulder. She could feel the warmth of the skin through the fabric. There was warm breath on her cheek that made her dizzy. She hadn't accounted for the effect this would have on her, but it was too late to stop now. She felt a hand go to her waist and another grasping her hand and bringing it up. Only then she made eye contact. Heloise was smiling softly and there was a concentration in her eyes that made Marianne’s mind halt. There was only her, Heloise and the violins. Heloise started and Marianne followed, the movements of the dance coming back to her body as if they’d always been there. It started out a little tense, having to get used to each other, but quickly became more fluid. With every different movement it got a little lighter, a little easier. Soon they were laughing, doing six twrils after another, suddenly letting go and regrasping the other and completely forgoing the rhythm of the violins or the rules of the dance.

After some time Marianne felt herself stop, awfully aware of the mask still on her face. She let go of Heloise and moved her hands to the back of her head, where the tiny knot was that had been holding her mask in place the entire time. She pulled on the little ribbon and the bow unravelled. When Heloise noticed what Marianne was doing she did the same and took her mask off.

Both couldn’t help but smile brightly, finally able to really see the other. Heloise almost hadn't changed, maybe there was a light line on her brow of a frown repeated a little too much in the last couple of years. She couldn’t blame her for it. There were little red spots on her cheeks where the mask had dug into the skin. Marianne wanted to touch them and she did, lightly tracing the redness with her fingers. She felt Heloise's hands come up to her shoulder, up her neck to her cheek. Marianne finished her search of changes and familiarities at her mouth. She looked up to see Heloise look at her lips and moved forward. They kissed for what felt like hours and mere seconds at the same time. The kiss wasn’t tense, filled withfear or desperation, it was free. There were tears but they were from happiness. There was no worry that their time would be cut short, pressure that they should make the most of it because it was the only moment they might ever have with each other. It was sure and happy, filled with hope for the unknown future that was sure to be better because now they could control it.

Heloise laughed as they broke apart.

“It’s like they are laughing at us.”

Marianne was confused.

Who are you talking about?

“The fates” She responded gesturing up towards the roof.

Marianne looked up in the direction Heloise had pointed to and saw the same statues she had been looking at when she arrived at the house. It made her chuckle, how obvious it was now which gods stood on the roof. She counted only two of them though; Clotho, the spinster and Lachesis, the one who determines the length.

“Why do you think they are laughing at us? And where is the last one Atropos?”

Heloise smiled even brighter, tears in her eyes. “They are laughing because we were wrong, our story hasn’t ended yet. That answers both your questions.”


	3. Rose's castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some family fluff :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame spring:))

It had been several hours since the night had fallen over Paris. The sounds that one could expect were heard outside a little girls room. There were crickets, and leaves in the wind, the occasional duck, water streaming, and people walking by.

Then something changed. There was a sound outside that didn't fit with the expectations of the night. Someone was walking on the gravel path towards the house. The stones crunched under their feet and the sound alerted the little girl inside the castle. She was immediately wide awake again and climbed, without paying anything any mind, out of the castle and ran to the window. Looking out to the lawn she saw the woman she had hoped to see, slightly illuminated by a streetlight, approaching the front door. 

She ran across the room, down stairs to the front door. There she waited impatiently, jumping from one foot to the other for Marianne to enter the house. Heloise was only at the top of the stairs when Marianne entered, having taken the time to repair some of the damages her daughter had done to the castle. 

Opening the door Marianne had barely any time to put down her bags as she was run over by a five year old girl. she scooped her up and hugged her tight.

“Hey, I missed you so much." She whispered into the girl's shoulder.

“I missed you too" she whispered back. 

"Should you not be in bed?"

"No, i made a castle, i was sleeping there."

"Oh, do you want to show me?"

"Yes! Come."

She leaned out of Mariannes grasp and the moment she was on the floor she took her hand and lead her to the stairs. 

At the top of the stairs marianne met heloise and immediately wrapped her in her arms. 

"I am so glad your back." whispered Heloise sounding very sleepy still. Despite the cloudiness of her fatigue she felt the joy she had felt upon first laying her eyes on Marianne intensify. The familiar smell and feel of soft skin as they embraced made tears well up in her eyes. Both hearts were beating quickly in their chests. It made them hug a little tighter, a little longer. 

"I want a hug too." Came from a source a little lower to the ground. She held her arms up expectantly and Heloise picked her up and placed her between her and marianne. Rose's weight was supported by both their bodies as they squeezed tight. 

I love you so much" marianne said as she kissed both on the head. They kissed back and so they went back and forth for a while planting kisses on eachothers faces and gigelling. They stopped when Rose yawned. 

"Are you tired?" Asked Marianne knowingly.

"No" she replied, though her body betrayed her in her resting her head on Mariannes shoulder.

"Really? How about you show me that castle then?"

The girl nodded in response and Marianne carried her to her room. There they found a castle made out of several blankets held up by a laundry line spun from one side of the room to the other. There were several triangles in roof that Rose explained as being towers. All her sheets and blankets were gone from the room and used in the castle as were all the pillows. 

Rose insisted that they should all get in. Marianne had her doubts about the logistics but moved away the blanket in front of the entrance to look inside anyway. 

She discovered that the inside had a surprising amount of space, on second thought they would all fit in easily. 

In the middle of the floor lay Rose's bunny and all the pillows from this and Heloise and Marianne's room were inside. They wouldn't lay on the hard floor, that was a relief. 

One by one they climbed in with Rose going last. Once the women were settled on the pile of soft pillows Heloise held out the bunny for the girl to take and she pressed it to her chest as she settled between the two women. They took the covers that had been pushed aside and pulled them over all three. Rose shrieked as the two pulled the covers up over her face and then put it down again making her hair go static. 

"Now let's go to sleep again or you'll be cranky in the morning." 

She was ignored as Rose turned to Marianne.

"Do you like my castle mam?"

"Yes, i do."

"There are so many colours and" she yawned.

"Tell me about it tomorrow. It's time to sleep now. Look" she whispered as she pointed towards Heloise who had her eyes closed. "Mama is already sleeping."

A small smile appeared on Heloises face but it went unnoticed by Rose.

"But you are not. I can talk to you." Another yawn passed and Marianne closed her eyes.

"No, you can't. I am sleeping." She laid still and decided not to respond anymore. After a bit of complaining the girl eventually relented and cuddled up with her bunny. 

Marianne waited a few minutes until she was sure Rose was sleeping and opened her eyes. She was looking right into Heloises eyes which were wide awake and smiling. She grinned back. 

"Is it alright if i go and change out of my clothes? I am still wearing shoes and the same clothes from three days ago. I wanted to take a bath upon coming here but it's a bit late."

"It is 2 o'clock in the morning."

"I'll do that tomorrow then."

"Go on. Come back quickly."

"I will." And carefully but as fast as she could she got out of the castle and went to their room to get a clean nightdress. She changed quickly and went back to the castle. 

Rose had started chewing on a bunny ear and Heloise was on her back looking at her with a sleepy smile. As Marianne went back to where she had been lying she paused to kiss Heloise, after a few kisses she laid down closer and wrapped an arm around both girls and like that they fell asleep.


End file.
